This application is based on Japanese Patent Application Nos. 11-241357 filed Aug. 27, 1999 and 2000-141404 filed May 15, 2000, the contents of which are incorporated hereinto by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a control system for controlling a state of a vehicle such as an automobile running on a roadway, an electric railcar running on rails, a tramcar, a ship and an airplane, and more particularly to an automatically operated and controlled door-locking system of such a vehicle, which is adapted to automatically lock at least one door of the vehicle in its closed position.
2. Discussion of Related Art
There is known an automatically door-locking system for automatically locking a door of an automotive vehicle in its closed position. This door-locking system is provided with a power-operated locking device including a power source and an actuator operable by the power source to selectively place the closed door in its locked or unlocked state. The door-locking system, which is provided on an automotive vehicle as a vehicle, is considered to be a control system adapted to control the operating state of the power-operated locking device, as a state of the vehicle. Therefore, the door-locking system may be considered as a vehicle state control system for controlling a state of a vehicle.
An example of such a door-locking-device control system for a vehicle is disclosed in JP-A-62-37479. This door-locking-device control system includes (1) a door-closure detecting device operable to detect that a door of the vehicle is operated from an open position thereof to a closed position thereof, (2) a communication device operable to communicate with a portable unit to be carried by the vehicle operator, while the portable unit is located within a predetermined distance from the vehicle, the communication device including an identifier-signal requesting device and a signal-receiving device, the identifier-signal requesting device being operable upon detection of the closed position of the door by the door-closure detecting device, to transmit to the portable unit a request signal which requests the portable unit to transmit back to the signal-receiving device an identifier signal representative of an identifier identifying the portable unit, the signal-receiving device being operable to receive the identifier signal, and (3) a locking-device controller operable when the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the signal-receiving device matches an identifier of the vehicle, to operate the power-operated locking device of the door-locking system to lock the door in the closed position.
The door-locking device control system disclosed in the above-identified publication JP-A-62-37479 is arranged such that the identifier-signal requesting device is operated to transmit to the portable unit the request signal requesting the portable unit to transmit the identifier signal, when the door is brought into its closed position. This arrangement is based on a relatively high probability that the vehicle operator has left or got off the vehicle, when the door has been closed. Where the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the signal-receiving device from the portable unit matches the identifier of the vehicle per se, the locking-device controller is operated to operate the power-operated locking device to lock the door in the closed position. However, the locking-device controller is adapted to operate the power-operated locking device only when the portable unit is moved apart from the vehicle by a distance larger than the above-indicated predetermined distance, that is, only when the communication device has become incapable of communicating with the portable unit. The identifier-signal requesting device of the communication device is arranged to transmit the request signal intermittently at a certain time interval after the door has been brought into its closed state. The fact that the communication device has become incapable of communicating with the portable unit is an indication that the portable unit is located at a position which is apart from the vehicle by a distance more than the predetermined distance within which the communication with the communication device is available. Based on this fact, the power-operated locking device is operated to lock the closed door in the closed position.
In the automatically controlled door-locking system for an automotive vehicle described above, the door is not locked in the closed position if the signal-receiving device of the communication device does not receive any identifier signal from the portable unit, that is, if the locking-device controller does not confirm that the received identifier identifying the portable unit identifies the vehicle per se. This may happen, for example, when the vehicle operator who has got off the vehicle swings the opened door back to the closed position, and quickly moves away from the vehicle such that the hand which has once pushed the door to its closed position releases the door while the vehicle operator moves away from the vehicle, so that the vehicle operator is soon distant from the vehicle by more than the above-indicated predetermined distance, and as a result the communication device is no longer capable of communicating with the portable unit carried by the operator after the door has been returned to the closed position. In this event, the locking-device controller will not activate the power-operated locking device to lock the closed door.
While the conventional door-locking system for a vehicle has been described above, a similar problem is encountered in other systems for controlling a state of a vehicle.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle state control system having an improved degree of control reliability, for example, an improved vehicle door-locking system capable of automatically locking a door in the closed position even if the communication device is incapable of communicating with the portable unit soon after the door has been placed in the closed position, as in an automatically controlled door-locking system according to the following first mode (1) of this invention, or an improved vehicle door-locking system capable of accurately detecting the location of the portable unit and controlling the power-operated locking device according to a result of the detection, as in an automatically controlled door-locking system according to the following sixteenth mode (16) of the invention.
The above object may be achieved according to any one of the following modes of the present invention, each of which is numbered like the appended claims and depends from the other mode or modes, where appropriate, to indicate and clarify possible combinations of elements or technical features. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the technical features or any combinations thereof which will be described for illustrative purpose only. It is to be further understood that a plurality of elements or features included in any one of the following modes of the invention are not necessarily provided all together, and that the invention may be embodied without some of the elements or features described with respect to the same mode.
(1) An automatically controlled door-locking system for automatically locking at least one door of a vehicle, which includes a vehicle-operator""s door provided for an operator of the vehicle, the door-locking system comprising:
a power-operated locking device including a power source, and an actuator operated by the power source for selectively locking and unlocking the at least one door placed in a closed position thereof;
a symptom-detecting device operable to detect a symptom indicating that the operator of the vehicle has an intention of getting off the vehicle;
a portable unit to be carried by the operator of the vehicle;
a first communication device operable to communicate with the portable unit while the portable unit is located within a predetermined communication area, the communication device including a first identifier-signal requesting device and a first signal-receiving device, the first identifier-signal requesting device being operable, upon detection of the symptom by the symptom detecting device, to transmit to the portable unit a request signal requesting the portable unit to transmit back to the signal-receiving device an identifier signal representative of an identifier identifying the portable unit; and
a locking-device controller, operable when the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the first signal-receiving device matches an identifier identifying the vehicle, to operate the power-operated locking device for locking the at least one door after the vehicle-operator""s door is closed.
In the present automatically controlled door-locking system, the first request signal requesting the portable unit to transmit an identifier signal is transmitted to the portable unit, when the symptom detecting device has detected that the vehicle operator has an intention of getting off the vehicle. The identifier signal transmitted from the portable unit is received by the first signal-receiving device. When the identifier represented by the received identifier signal matches the identifier identifying the vehicle, that is, when the received identifier signal identifies the vehicle, the locking-device controller activates the power-operated locking device to lock the at least one door including the vehicle-operator""s door, after the at least one door is closed. The symptom detecting device is adapted to detect a symptom indicative of the vehicle operator""s intention of getting off the vehicle, before detecting a symptom indicating a high probability that the vehicle operator has actually got off the vehicle. When the symptom-detecting device has detected the symptom indicative of the operator""s intention of getting off the vehicle, the first identifier-signal requesting device is activated to transmit the request signal requesting the portable unit to transmit its identifier signal. The present arrangement permits the at least one door of the vehicle to be locked even in the case where the vehicle operator who has got off the vehicle swings the operator""s door to its closed position and quickly moves away from the vehicle. Conventionally, the at least one door of the vehicle is not locked in its closed position in the above-indicated case. The present door-locking system permits the at least one door to be locked even where the vehicle operator who has got off the vehicle quickly moves away from the vehicle to a location outside the predetermined communication area in which the first communication device is capable of communicating with the portable unit.
The symptom-detecting device is arranged to detect any one of symptoms indicating that the vehicle operator is going to get off the vehicle. These symptoms may include, for example: a change of the vehicle condition from a mobile state to an immobile state in which the vehicle cannot be moved, for instance, a change of an ignition switch of the vehicle from its ON state to its OFF state; releasing of the vehicle operator""s seat belt (a change of the seat belt from its used state to its unused state); a change of the vehicle operator""s door from its closed position to its open position; and a decrease of a load acting on the vehicle operator""s seat below a predetermined lower limit. The symptom-detecting device may be provided in the first communication device or the locking-device controller, or may be provided independently of the first communication device and the locking-device controller. The symptom-detecting device may be referred to as a getting-off intention detecting device for detecting an intention of the vehicle operator of getting off the vehicle.
The actuator of the power-operated locking device may be an electric motor operated to move a locking member provided on each of the at least one door, from its releasing position to its locking position in which the closed door is locked. In this case, the at least one door can be locked by controlling the electric motor.
The at least one door including the vehicle operator""s door may be a pivoting or sliding type door which is pivotable or slidable relative to the body of the vehicle. The pivoting type door may be pivotable about an axis which extends in the substantially vertical horizontal direction when the vehicle has a normal attitude on a flat roadway. Where the pivoting type door is pivotable about the substantially horizontally extending axis, it is generally called a hatchback door. The sliding type door is generally a linearly sliding door. The vehicle operator""s door is usually provided adjacent to the vehicle operator""s seat, but need not be located adjacent to the vehicle operator""s seat.
The predetermined communication area in which the first communication device is capable of communicating with the portable unit is an overlapping area of a receiving area in which the request signal transmitted by the first identifier-signal requesting device can be received by the portable unit, and a transmitting area from which the identifier signal is transmitted by the portable unit toward the signal-receiving device such that the identifier signal can be received by the first signal-receiving device. The overlapping area is determined by the operating characteristics and the locations of the first identifier-signal requesting device and the first signal-receiving device, and other factors. The operating characteristics are determined by the capacities and orientations of antennas of the first identifier-signal requesting device and the second signal-receiving device. Where the directional antennas are used, the above-indicated receiving and transmitting areas are influenced by the orientations of the antennas. The communication area may be an area whose major part lies within the body of the vehicle, or an area whose major part is outside the body of the vehicle.
In the present specification, the identifier signal transmitted by the portable unit is considered to identify the vehicle if the identifier represented by the identifier signal matches the identifier of the vehicle. These two identifiers which match each other may be two identical identifiers or different identifiers. In the case of the two identical identifiers, the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the signal-receiving device is the same as the identifier of the vehicle which is stored in the locking-device controller. The two different identifiers match each other when these two identifiers satisfy a predetermined condition. For instance, the two different identifiers match each other when a sum of values represented by the identifiers is equal to a predetermined value. The portable unit may also serve as an ignition key used to turn on and off the ignition switch of the vehicle. This portable unit has a key portion having a specific configuration identifying the vehicle, and the identifier signal transmitted by this portable unit identifies that vehicle.
When the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the first signal-receiving device identifies the vehicle, that is, matches the identifier identifying the vehicle, the locking-device controller activates the power-operated locking device to lock the at least one door including the vehicle operator""s door, after the at least one door is closed. The locking-device controller may be arranged to activate the locking device to lock each of the at least one door immediately after or a predetermined time after the door is placed into its closed position, or when a predetermined condition of the vehicle is satisfied after the door is placed into its closed position.
(2) An automatically controlled door-locking system according to the above mode (1), wherein the symptom detecting device detects the above-indicated symptom, when the vehicle is placed in a state in which the vehicle is not likely to be started and/or when a seat belt which has been used by the vehicle operator is released.
When the vehicle is placed in a state in which the vehicle cannot be or is not like to be started, or when the vehicle operator has released the seat belt, it indicates a high probability that the vehicle operator is going to get off the vehicle. The above-indicated state in which the vehicle is not likely to be started may be a state in which a main power switch or an ignition switch is turned from its on state to its off state, or a key for turning on and off the main power switch or ignition switch is removed. The releasing of the vehicle operator""s seat belt can be detected by an appropriate seat-belt detector switch.
(3) An automatically controlled door-locking system according to the above mode (1) or (2), wherein the symptom detecting device detects the symptom, when the vehicle-operator""s door is operated from a closed position thereof to an open position thereof.
When the vehicle-operator""s door is operated from the closed position to the open position, it indicates a high probability that the vehicle operator is going to get off the vehicle. Described more specifically, an opening action of the vehicle operator""s door indicates a higher probability that the vehicle operator is going to get off the vehicle, than a switching of the vehicle to a state in which the vehicle is not likely to be started, or a releasing action of the seat belt by the vehicle operator. In the above mode (3) of the invention, the first identifier-signal requesting device is commanded to transmit the request signal when the vehicle-operator""s door is opened. This arrangement is effective to avoid unnecessary operation of the identifier-signal requesting device, leading to a reduced amount of consumption of an electric energy by the first communication device.
The probability that the vehicle operator is going to get off the vehicle is higher, if the symptom detecting device is arranged to detect the above-indicated symptom when the vehicle-operator""s door is opened after the vehicle has been placed in the state in which the. vehicle is not likely to be started, and/or after the vehicle-operator""s seat belt has been released.
(4) An automatically controlled door-locking system according to any one of the above modes (1)-(3), wherein the locking-device controller includes a portable-unit detecting device for determining that the portable unit is located within the predetermined communication area, when the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the first signal-receiving device of the first communication device matches the identifier of the vehicle, the locking-device controller operating the power-operated locking-device to lock the at least one door in the closed position, when the portable-unit detecting device has determined that the portable unit is located within the predetermined communication area.
In the above mode (4) of the invention, the portable-unit detecting device determines that the portable unit is located within the predetermined communication area, when the identifier represented by the identifier signal transmitted by the portable unit and received by the first signal-receiving device matches the identifier of the vehicle. The portable-unit detecting device includes a checking portion for determining whether the identifier represented by the received identifier signal matches the identifier of the vehicle. If the two identifiers do not match each other, the portable-unit detecting device determines that the portable unit is not located in the communication area. In the case where the first signal-receiving device does not receive an identifier signal from the portable unit, the two identifiers are not considered to match each other. However, the portable-unit detecting device may be adapted to determine whether the portable unit is located within the communication area, depending upon (1) whether the two identifiers match each other, and/or (2) whether the identifier signal transmitted from the portable unit in response to the request signal received from the first identifier-signal requesting device has been received by the first signal-receiving device. In this case, the portable-unit detecting device determines that the portable unit is not located within the predetermined communication area, if the first signal-receiving device has not received the identifier signal from the portable unit within a predetermined time after the request signal has been transmitted.
(5) An automatically controlled door-locking system according to any one of the above modes (1)-(4), wherein the first identifier-signal requesting device intermittently transmits the request signal at a predetermined time interval after detection of the symptom by the symptom detecting device.
The intermittent transmission of the request signal requires a reduced amount of consumption of electric energy by the first communication device and the portable unit, than the continuous transmission of the request signal. The present technical feature is applicable not only to the first identifier-signal requesting device which is operable upon detection of a symptom that the vehicle operator has an intention of getting off the vehicle, as described above, but also to a fourth identifier-signal requesting device which is operable upon detection that the vehicle operator has got off the vehicle, as described below, and an identifier-signal requesting device which is included in each of a plurality of specific-area communication devices, as also described below.
(6) An automatically controlled door-locking system according to the above mode (5), wherein the first identifier-signal requesting device transmits the request signal at a first predetermined time interval before a predetermined condition is satisfied, and at a second predetermined time interval longer than the first predetermined time interval after the predetermined condition is satisfied.
The first identifier-signal requesting device which is operated upon detection of a symptom indicating that the vehicle operator has an intention of getting off the vehicle may be adapted to intermittently transmit the request signal at the predetermined constant time interval. However, the request signal may be transmitted at a longer time interval after the predetermined condition is satisfied, for example, after the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the first signal-receiving device matches the identifier of the vehicle. In this respect, it is noted that a need of determining whether the received identifier signal identifies the vehicle is reduced or eliminated after it is detected that the received identifier signal identifies the vehicle.
It is also possible that the request signal is normally transmitted continuously, but is transmitted intermittently after the predetermined condition is satisfied. The time interval at which the request signal is transmitted may be considered to be increased (to infinity) where the continuous or intermittent transmission of the request signal is terminated.
(7) An automatically controlled door-locking system according to any one of the above modes (1)-(6), wherein the locking-device controller includes at least one of a data memory for storing data indicative of a determination that the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the first signal-receiving device matches the identifier of the vehicle, and a request terminating portion, operable upon the determination, to command the first identifier-signal requesting device to terminate transmission of the request signal.
Where the data memory is provided to store data indicative of the determination that the identifier represented by the received identifier signal matches the identifier of the vehicle, the stored data may be used by the locking-device controller in determining whether the power-operated locking device is operated to lock the at least one door of the vehicle. For instance, the stored data may be used in combination with a result of a determination based on an identifier signal received in response to a request signal transmitted when there is a high probability that the vehicle operator has got off the vehicle, as in preferred embodiments of the invention described below. The stored data may be considered to be data indicating that the portable unit has been detected in the predetermined communication area. If this data is not stored in the data memory, it means that the received identifier signal does not identify the vehicle, namely, the portable unit whose identifier signal identifies the vehicle is not located
The request terminating portion which terminates the transmission of the request signal from the first identifier-signal requesting device is effective to reduce the required amount of consumption of the electric energy by the first identifier-signal requesting device and the portable unit. Further, it is reasonable to terminate the transmission of the request signal when it is determined that the identifier represented by the received identifier signal matches the identifier of the vehicle. Once the identifier represented by the received identifier signal matches the identifier of the vehicle, it is usually not necessary to determine whether the received identifier signal identifies the vehicle, that is, whether the portable unit is located within the communication area.
(8) An automatically controlled door-locking device according to any one of the above modes (1)-(7), further comprising an indicator operable when the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the first signal-receiving device matches the identifier of the vehicle, to provide an indication that the identifier represented by the first identifier signal matches the identifier of the vehicle.
In the door-locking device according to the above mode (8), the indicator provides an indication that the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the first signal-receiving device upon detection of the above-indicated symptom matches the identifier of the vehicle, when these two identifiers match each other. This indication enables the vehicle operator to recognize that the at least one door of the vehicle is locked in its closed position.
The indicator may be provided on either the vehicle or the portable unit. In the former case, the indicator may be provided on the outer side of the vehicle body so that the indication provided by the indicator can be noticed by the vehicle operator outside the vehicle body. Where the indicator is disposed within the vehicle body, the indicator is preferably a buzzer or other indicator adapted to generate a sound or voice that can be heard by the vehicle operator outside the vehicle body, or a light disposed such that the illuminated light can be viewed by the vehicle operator outside the vehicle body. Where the portable unit includes the indicator, the indicator is activated by a signal received from the first communication device when the locking-device controller determines that the identifier represented by the first identifier signal matches the identifier of the vehicle. In this case, the vehicle operator carrying the portable unit can be informed of the determination that the portable unit in the communication area has been detected by the communication device.
(9) An automatically controlled door-locking system according to any one of the above modes (1)-(8), wherein when the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the first signal-receiving device of the first communication device matches the identifier of the vehicle, the locking-device controller operates the power-operated locking device to lock the at least one door when a predetermined condition is satisfied after the vehicle-operator""s door is closed.
The power-operated locking device may be activated by the locking-device controller to lock at least one door in the closed position, in response to the closure of the vehicle-operator""s door. However, the power-operated locking device may be activated to lock the at least one door when the predetermined condition of the vehicle is satisfied after the closure of the vehicle-operator""s door.
(10) An automatically controlled door-locking system according to the above mode (9), wherein the locking-device controller includes a portion operable after the vehicle-operator""s door is closed, to establish a door locking standby mode in which the power-operated locking device is operated to lock the at least one door when the predetermined condition is satisfied.
In the door-locking system according to the above mode (9), the door locking standby mode is established by the locking-device controller when the vehicle-operator""s door has been closed after said identifier represented by said identifier signal matches said identifier of the vehicle. In the door locking standby mode, the power-operated locking device is operated to lock the at least one door when the predetermined condition is satisfied.
(11) An automatically controlled door-locking system according to the above mode (9) or (10), further comprising:
a second communication device including a second identifier-signal requesting device for transmitting the request signal to the portable unit, and a second signal-receiving device for receiving the identifier signal transmitted from the portable unit, the second communication device being capable of communicating with the portable unit while the portable unit is located within a first area whose major part lies within the vehicle;
a third communication device operable including a third identifier-signal requesting device for transmitting the request signal to the portable unit, and a third signal-receiving device for receiving the identifier signal transmitted from the portable unit, the third communication device being capable of communicating with the portable unit while the portable unit is located within a second area whose major part is outside the vehicle,
and wherein the locking-device controller comprises:
a first portable-unit detecting device for determining whether the portable unit is located within the first area, depending upon whether an identifier represented by the second identifier signal received by the second signal-receiving device of the second communication device matches the identifier of the vehicle;
a second portable-unit detecting device for determining whether the portable unit is located within the second area, depending upon whether an identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the third signal-receiving device of the third communication device matches the identifier of the vehicle,
the locking-device controller operating the power-operated locking device after the vehicle-operator""s door is closed, and (a) when the second portable-unit detecting device determines that the portable unit is held in the second area for more than a predetermined time while the second portable-unit detecting device determines that the portable unit is not located within the first area, or (b) when the first and second portable-unit detecting devices determine that the portable unit is not located in either of the first and second areas.
In the case of (a), the portable unit is held located in the second area (whose major part is outside the vehicle) for more than the predetermined time while the portable unit is not located in the first area (whose major part is located within the vehicle). In this case, the power-operated locking device is operated to lock the at least one door of the vehicle. Accordingly, the at least one door is locked where the vehicle operator carrying the portable unit is located outside the vehicle but is relatively near the vehicle, for more than the predetermined time. In the case of (b), the portable unit is located in neither the first area nor the second area. In this case, too, the locking device is operated. Accordingly, the at least one door is locked even where the vehicle operator who has got off the vehicle quickly swings the once opened vehicle-operator""s door back to the closed position and swiftly moves away from the vehicle to a location outside the second area. In both cases (a) and (b), the portable unit is not located within the first area whose major part is within the vehicle. Namely, the at least one door is not locked as long as the portable unit is left within the vehicle.
The first and second areas indicated above are the areas A and B shown in FIG. 2, respectively. In the above case (a) where the portable unit is located in the second area B and is not located in the area A, the portable unit is located in an area C, which is a part of the second area B which does not lie within the area A. In the conventional door-locking system, the doors are not locked by the locking device where the portable unit is located in the area C. In the door-locking system according to the above-indicated mode (11), the at least one door is locked when the predetermined time has passed after the moment of determination that the portable unit is located in the area C. Thus, the present automatically controlled door-locking system has an improved operating reliability.
The first and second portable-unit detecting devices are operated in the door locking standby mode, which is established after the locking-device controller determines that the identifier signal received by the first signal-receiving device of the first communication device upon detection of the symptom of the vehicle operator""s intention of getting off the vehicle matches the vehicle identifier, and after the vehicle-operator""s door is closed. A control program executed in the door locking standby mode may be formulated to be executed following a control program for determining whether the identifier signal received upon detection of the above-indicated symptom matches the vehicle identifier.
The second and third communication devices which are operated in the door locking standby mode may be separate from or independent of the first communication device which is operated upon detection of the above-indicated symptom. Alternatively, at least one of the second and third communication devices may serve as the first communication device which is operated upon detection of the above-indicated symptom.
(12) An automatically controlled door-locking system according to any one of the above modes (1)-(11), further comprising:
getting-off detecting means for detecting a high probability that the operator of the vehicle has got off the vehicle; and
a fourth communication device operable upon detection of the high probability by the getting-off detecting means and capable of communicating with the portable device while the portable unit is located within a predetermined area, the fourth communication device including a fourth identifier-signal requesting device for transmitting the request signal, and a fourth signal-receiving device for receiving the identifier signal transmitted from the portable unit;
and wherein the locking-device controller includes:
a third portable-unit detecting device for determining whether the portable unit is located within the predetermined area of the fourth communication device, depending upon whether an identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the fourth signal-receiving device matches the identifier of the vehicle; and
control means operable when the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the first signal-receiving device of the first communication device matches the identifier of the vehicle, to operate the power-operated locking device after the third portable-unit detecting device has determined that the portable unit is not located within the predetermined area of the fourth communication device.
In the door-locking system according to the above mode (12), the control means operates the power-operated locking device to lock the at least one door, when the vehicle is identified by the identifier signal received by the first signal-receiving device of the first communication device operable upon detection of the symptom indicating that the vehicle operator has an intention of getting off the vehicle, even if the portable unit is not detected in the communication area of the fourth communication device operated upon detection of a high probability that the vehicle operator has got off the vehicle. Accordingly, the at least one door is locked even where the vehicle-operator""s door is quickly swung to the closed position by the operator in the process of swiftly moving away from the vehicle.
The control means of the locking-device controller may activate the locking device soon after the third portable-unit detecting device has determined that the portable unit is not detected in the communication area of the fourth communication device operated upon detection of the high probability of the operator""s getting off the vehicle. Alternatively, the control means may activate the locking device when a predetermined condition as described above with respect to the above modes (9)-(11) is satisfied after the determination that the portable unit is not detected in the communication area of the fourth communication device. The above-indicated determination by the third portable-unit detecting device may be the one as effected in the door locking standby mode established after the vehicle-operator""s door is closed, as described above with respect to the above mode (10). Alternatively, the determination may be made before the door locking standby mode is established.
(13) An automatically controlled door-locking system according to the above mode (12), wherein the locking-device controller includes a data memory for storing data indicative of a determination that the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the first signal-receiving device of the first communication device matches the identifier of the vehicle, the system further comprising an indicator operable when the third portable-unit detector device has determined that the portable unit is not located within the predetermined communication area of the fourth communication device, the indicator providing an indication that the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the first signal-receiving device matches the identifier of the vehicle.
In the door-locking system according to the above-indicated mode (12), the control means activates the locking device when the portable unit is detected in the communication area of the first communication device upon detection of the symptom indicating that the vehicle operator has an intention of getting off the vehicle, even if the portable unit is not detected upon detection of the high probability that the vehicle operator has got off the vehicle. In the system according to the above mode (13) wherein the indicator is operated when the portable unit is not detected upon detection of the above-indicated high probability, the vehicle operator can know that the locking device is operated. Thus, the indicator may be considered to inform the vehicle operator that the locking device is automatically operated to lock the at least one door.
(14) An automatically controlled door-locking system for automatically locking at least one door of a vehicle, which includes a vehicle-operator""s door provided for an operator of the vehicle, the door-locking system comprising:
a power-operated locking device including a power source, and an actuator operated by the power source for selectively locking and unlocking the at least one door placed in a closed position thereof;
a symptom-detecting device operable to detect a symptom indicating that the operator has an intention of getting off the vehicle;
a portable unit to be carried by the operator of the vehicle;
a first communication device operable to communicate with the portable unit while the portable unit is located within a predetermined first area, the first communication device including a first identifier-signal requesting device and a first signal-receiving device, the first identifier-signal requesting device being operable, upon detection of the symptom by the symptom detecting device, to transmit to the portable unit a request signal requesting the portable unit to transmit back to the first signal-receiving device an identifier signal representative of an identifier identifying the portable unit;
getting-off detecting means for detecting a high probability that the operator of the vehicle has got off the vehicle;
a fourth communication device operable upon detection of the high probability by the getting-off detecting means and capable of communicating with the portable device while the portable unit is located with a predetermined second area, the fourth communication device including a fourth identifier-signal requesting device for transmitting the request signal, and a fourth signal-receiving device for receiving the identifier signal transmitted from the portable unit; and
a locking-device controller including (a) a first portable-unit detecting device for determining whether the portable unit is located within the predetermined first area of the first communication device, depending upon whether an identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the first signal-receiving device matches the identifier of the vehicle, and (b) a second portable-unit detecting device for determining whether the portable unit is located within the predetermined second area of the fourth communication device, depending upon whether an identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the fourth signal-receiving device matches the identifier of the vehicle, the locking-device controller operating the power-operated locking device to lock the at least one door of the vehicle, on the basis of at least one of output signals of the first and second portable-unit detecting devices.
In the door-locking system according to the above mode (14), the locking device is controlled on the basis of at least one of the output signals of the first and second portable-unit detecting devices, which are operated upon detection of the above-indicated symptom and upon detection of the above-indicated high probability, respectively. This arrangement which may use the output signals of both of the first and second portable-unit detecting devices assures higher degrees of reliability and adequacy of control of the power-operated locking device, than the system which uses only one of those output signals. In particular, the system adapted to control the locking device on the basis of the output signals of the first and second portable-unit detecting devices permits accurate detection of the locations when the above-indicated symptom and high probability are detected, leading to further improved reliability and adequacy of control of the locking device by the locking-device controller.
The above-indicated predetermined first and second communication areas of the first and fourth communication devices may or may not be the same. However, the locking device can be more adequately controlled where the first and second communication areas are different from each other. It is noted that the technical feature according to any one of the above-described modes (1)-(13) of the invention is applicable to the door-locking system according to the above mode (14).
For instance, the locking-device controller may include (a) locking determining means for determining, on the basis of the output signals of the first and second portable-unit detecting devices, whether the locking device should be operated to lock the at least one door, and (b) standby-mode establishing means for establishing the above-indicated door locking standby mode when the locking determining means has determined that the locking device should be operated. Alternatively, the locking-device controller may include (a) the above-indicated locking determining means and (c) locking means for operating the locking device to lock the at least one door when the locking determining means has determined that the locking device should be operated.
(15) Automatically controlled door-locking system according to the above mode (14), wherein each of at least one of the first and fourth communication devices is a communication device capable of communicating with the portable unit in a plurality of predetermined different communication areas,
and wherein each of at least one of the first and second portable-unit detecting devices which corresponds to the at least one of the first and fourth communication devices is a portable-unit detecting device capable of detecting the portable unit in the plurality of predetermined different communication areas, respectively.
The communication device capable of communicating the portable unit in the different communication areas may include a selectively operated identifier-signal requesting device which is selectively placed in different modes for transmitting the request signal to the portable unit in the respective different communication areas. Alternatively, the same communication device may include a selectively operated signal-receiving device which is selectively placed in different modes for receiving the identifier signal transmitted from the portable unit in the respective different communication areas. The selectively operated identifier-signal requesting device and the selectively operated signal-receiving device may use a directional antenna whose orientation is changeable to change its directivity. The communication device capable of communicating with the portable unit in the respective different communication areas may include a plurality of communication devices capable of communicating with the portable unit in the respective different communication areas. Where the plurality of communication devices are identical with each other, these communication devices are located at respective different positions on the vehicle, so that the communication devices can communicate with the portable unit in the respective different communication areas.
(16) An automatically controlled door-locking system for automatically locking at least one door of a vehicle, which includes a vehicle-operator""s door provided for an operator of the vehicle, the door-locking system comprising:
a power-operated locking device including a power source and an actuator operated by the power source for selectively locking and unlocking the at least one door placed in a closed position thereof;
a portable unit to be carried by the operator;
a communication device including an identifier-signal requesting device and a signal-receiving device, the identifier-signal requesting device being operable to transmit to the portable unit a request signal requesting the portable unit to transmit back to the signal-receiving device an identifier signal representative of an identifier identifying the portable unit, the communication device being capable of communicating with the portable unit in a plurality of different communication areas; and
a locking-device controller including a portable-unit detecting device for determining whether the portable unit is located within each of the plurality of different communication areas, by determining whether the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the signal-receiving device matches an identifier identifying the vehicle, the locking-device controller operating the power-operated locking device to lock the at least one door of the vehicle, on the basis of results of determinations by the portable-unit detecting device as to whether the portable unit is located within at least two areas of the plurality of different communication areas.
In the door-locking system according to the above mode (16) wherein the portable-unit detecting device is adapted to determine whether the portable unit is located within each of a plurality of different communication areas, the location of the portable unit can be detected with high accuracy and reliability, so that the power-operated locking device can be controlled with high degrees of adequacy and reliability, for automatic locking of the vehicle doors as needed.
For instance, the locking-device controller stores in a memory control patterns for the locking device, in relation to respective different combinations of the results of the determinations by the portable-unit detecting device as to whether the portable unit is located within the different areas. An example of such control patterns will be further explained.
The communication device may include an internal communication device capable of communicating with the portable unit located within a first area A whose major part lies within the body of the vehicle, as shown in FIG. 2, and an external communication device capable of communicating with the portable unit located within a second area B whose major part is outside the vehicle body, as also shown in FIG. 2. In this case, there are the following four combinations of the results of the determinations by the portable-unit detecting device in relation to the first and second areas A, B.
1) The portable unit is located within the first area A, but is not detected within the second area B.
In this case, the locking device is not operated to lock the at least one door of the vehicle, since the locking of the door is not usually necessary while the portable unit normally carried by the vehicle operator is located within the vehicle. Where the portable unit remains within the vehicle while the vehicle operator is outside the vehicle (and outside the second area B), the vehicle operator would be xe2x80x9clocked outxe2x80x9d if all of the doors were locked.
2) The portable unit is not detected within the first area A, but is detected within the second area B.
In this case, the locking device is operated to lock the at least one door, since the portable unit is highly probably located within the part C of the second area B, which part C is not located within the first area A and is relatively distant from the vehicle, so that the at least one door is desirably locked.
3) The portable unit is detected within both of the first and second areas A, B.
In this case, the locking device is not operated to lock the at least one door, since the portable unit is located within the overlapping part D of the first and second areas A, B. The overlapping part D consists of a region within the vehicle and a region which is outside the vehicle but is relatively near the vehicle. In this case, therefore, the at least one door should not necessarily be locked.
4) The portable unit is not detected within either of the first and second areas A, B.
In this case where the portable unit is presumably located in the area E outside the first and second areas A, B, the locking device is operated to lock the at least one door, since the locking of the door is required since the vehicle operator is highly probably at a location considerably distant from the vehicle.
In the conventional door-locking system, the locking device is not operated to lock the at least one door, where the portable unit is not located within the second area B, as in the above-indicated case 4) where the portable unit is presumed to be located in the area E. In the system according to the above mode (16), the at least one door is locked in the case 4). While the conventional system is arranged such that the at least one door is not locked where the portable unit is detected in the second area B as in the cases 2) and 3), the present system is arranged to lock the at least one door where the portable unit is located outside the vehicle but is considerably near the vehicle, namely, in the case 3), and where the portable unit is considerably distant from the vehicle, namely, in the case 2). This arrangement improves the reliability of the door-locking system.
In the specific example of FIG. 2, the plurality of different communication areas within which the portable unit is communicable with the communication device consists of the first and second areas A and B. However, the plurality of different communication areas may consist of a plurality of areas which include different parts of one of the first and second areas A and B. The identifier-signal requesting device of the communication device may be adapted to be operable upon detection of a symptom indicating that the vehicle operator has an intention of getting off the vehicle, or upon detection that the vehicle operator has got off the vehicle, more precisely, upon detection of a high probability that the vehicle operator has got off the vehicle. The technical feature according to any one of the above modes (1)-(15) is applicable to the system according to the mode (16). (17) An automatically controlled door-locking system according to the above mode (16), wherein the communication device includes a plurality of specific-area communication devices capable of communicating with the portable unit located in respective different specific communication areas;
the identifier-signal requesting device of each of at least one of the plurality of specific-area communication devices being operable to transmit the request signal upon detection of a symptom indicating that the operator of the vehicle has an intention of getting off the vehicle,
and wherein the locking-device controller controls the power-operated locking device on the basis of results of determinations by the portable-unit detecting device as to whether the portable unit is located within each of at least two areas of the different specific communication areas, which at least two areas include at least one of the different specific communication areas within which the portable unit is communicable with the at least one of said plurality of specific-area communication devices whose identifier-signal requesting device is operable upon detection of said symptom.
In the system according to the above mode (16), the results of the determinations as to whether the portable unit is located in each of at least two specific communication areas include a result of the determination effected upon detection of the symptom indicating that the vehicle operator has an intention of getting off the vehicle. Accordingly, the locking device can be controlled with higher reliability owing to intricate detection of the location of the portable unit with respect to the moment of detection of the above-indicated detection.
For instance, one of the plurality of specific-area communication devices may be an internal communication device capable of communicating with the portable unit within the first area A, while another of the specific-area communication devices may be an external communication device capable of communicating with the portable unit within the second area B. The signal-identifier requesting devices of these internal and external communication devices may be adapted to transmit the request signal while the vehicle-operator""s door is in the closed position. In this instance, there are the following two cases:
1) The portable unit is not detected within either of the first and second areas A and B (and is presumed to be located in the area E), and the identifier represented by the identifier signal received upon detection of the above-indicated symptom matches the identifier of the vehicle.
In this case, the locking device is operated to lock the at least one door. Once the identifier signal received upon detection of the symptom identifies the vehicle in question, the at least one door may be desirably locked since the non-detection of the portable unit in the first and second areas usually results from the presence of the portable unit in the area E outside the areas A and B.
2) The portable unit is not detected in either of the first and second areas A, B and is presumed to be in the area E, and the identifier represented by the identifier signal received upon detection of the above-indicated symptom does not identify the vehicle.
In this case, the portable unit is considered to be defective or inoperable for some reason or other such as exhaustion of a battery incorporated therein, indicating a high possibility that the portable unit fails to transmit the identifier signal. In this case, the locking-device controller may activate a suitable alarm indicator.
The at least one specific-area communication device may be a device capable of communicating with the portable unit located within at least one of the first and second areas A, B, or within any other specific communication area the second area B.
(18) An automatically controlled door-locking system according to the above mode (16) or (17), wherein the locking-device controller includes an abnormality detecting device which detects an abnormality of the portable unit if the portable-unit detecting device determines that the portable unit is located within none of the at least two areas of the plurality of different communication areas. plurality of different communication areas, the portable unit may be considered defective or abnormal. For improved accuracy of detection of the abnormality of the portable unit, it is desirable to take into account the result of the determination effected based on the identifier signal received upon detection of the above-indicated symptom.
(19) A control system provided on a vehicle, for controlling a state of the vehicle on the basis of a result of determination as to whether an identifier represented by an identifier signal received from a portable unit to be carried by an operator of the vehicle matches an identifier identifying the vehicle, the control system comprising:
a symptom detecting device operable to detect a symptom indicating that the operator of the vehicle has an intention of getting off the vehicle; and
an identifier-signal requesting device operable upon detection of the symptom by the symptom detecting device, to transmit to the portable unit a request signal requesting the portable unit to transmit the identifier signal.
In the vehicle state control system according to the above mode (19), the state of the vehicle is controlled on the basis of a result of determination as to whether the identifier represented by the identifier signal received from the portable unit upon detection of a symptom indicating that the vehicle operator has an intention of getting off the vehicle matches the identifier identifying the vehicle in question. The present vehicle state control system can control not only the operating state of the door locking device of the vehicle, but also other states of the vehicle, such as the operating state of a drive device of the vehicle. Where the present vehicle state control system is applied to control the vehicle drive device, a desired control of the vehicle drive device is performed in the above-indicated case 1) wherein the portable unit is detected in the first area A but is not detected in the second area B), or in the case 3) wherein the portable unit is detected in both of the first and second areas A, B). For instance, the vehicle state control system is adapted to establish a start standby mode in which the drive device is made ready for starting the vehicle. Namely, there is a high probability that the vehicle is started to run, where the vehicle operator is located within the vehicle body or outside but near the vehicle.
The technical feature according to any one of the above-indicated modes (1)-(18) of the present invention is applicable to the vehicle state control system according to the above mode (19).
(20) A portable-unit detecting system communicable with a portable unit to be carried by an operator of a vehicle, for determining whether said portable unit is located within a predetermined communication area, said portable-unit detecting system comprising:
a symptom detecting device operable to detect a symptom indicating that the operator of the vehicle has an intention of getting off the vehicle;
a communication device operable to communicate with said portable unit while said portable unit is located within a predetermined communication area, said communication device including an identifier-signal requesting device and a signal-receiving device, said identifier-signal requesting device being operable, upon detection of said symptom by said symptom detecting device, to transmit to said portable unit a request signal requesting said portable unit to transmit to said signal-receiving device an identifier signal identifying said portable unit; and
portable-unit detecting means for determining whether said portable unit is located within said predetermined communication area, on the basis of a result of determination as to whether an identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the signal-receiving device of the communication device matches an identifier identifying the vehicle.
The technical features according to any one of the above modes (1)-(19) is applicable to the portable-unit detecting system according to the above mode (20). (21) An automatically controlled door-locking system for automatically locking at least one door of a vehicle, which includes a vehicle-operator""s door provided for an operator of the vehicle, the door-locking system comprising:
a power-operated locking device including a power source and an actuator operated by the power source for selectively locking and unlocking the at least one door placed in a closed position thereof;
a communication device operable to communicate with the portable unit while the portable unit is located within a predetermined communication area, the communication device including an identifier-signal requesting device and a signal-receiving device, the signal-identifier requesting device being operable to transmit to the portable unit a request signal requesting the portable unit to transmit back to the signal-receiving device an identifier signal representative of an identifier identifying the portable unit; and
a locking-device controller, operable upon detection of said symptom by said symptom detecting device, to operate the power-operated locking device to lock the above-indicated at least one door when said identifier represented by said identifier signal received by said signal-receiving device matches an identifier identifying the vehicle.
In the present automatically controlled door-locking system, the power-operated locking device is controlled on the basis of a result of determination as to whether the identifier represented by the identifier signal received by the signal-receiving device upon detection of the above-indicated symptom matches the vehicle identifier. The communication device may be adapted to keep transmitting the request signal, so that the identifier signal received by the communication device upon detection of the symptom is used by the locking-device controller.
The technical feature according to any one of the above modes (1)-(20) is applicable to the door-locking system according to the above mode (21).